Cory Casagrande found out Monday he was being suspended for one week by officials at Stafford Motor Speedway.

The suspension, as it out turns out, was really a moot point. The 21-year old Casagrande and his family owned Late Model team had already decided they were leaving the division.

Before the start of the 2015 season Casagrande had plans to run part-time in a Granite State Pro Stock Series car his family purchased during the offseason and co-owns with Stafford Speedway SK Light Modified division regular Bob Charland.

The plan was that Casagrande and Charland would split time behind the wheel of the car. Now Charland has decided to step aside and let Casagrande run the car full-time.

Casagrande was leading the 50-lap Late Model feature Friday at Stafford Speedway when he was spun out of the lead by Josh Wood on lap 35.

A scuffle later ensued in the pits involving the Casagrande Motorsports team, leading to suspensions for Casagrande and also his older brother Kyle, who also competes in the Late Model division at Stafford.

“We figured, the way this year has been going [in the Late Model divison at Stafford], all three races something has happened to us,” Casagrande said. “We just figured, it’s time for a change. Obviously, I’m not going to sit here and bash anyone. We’re good friends with the Arute’s and I respect everything they’ve done for me and everybody at the track. It’s just a division that kind of gives you bad habits I guess. So we’re just going to change up what we do and run a little less and try to find the fun aspect of racing again that we kind of lost. That’s pretty much it.

“It’s fun traveling around. We put a lot of money into the Pro Stock this year. We weren’t going to race it as much as we wanted to, but now this kind of gives us a chance to actually follow through with running all the races.”

Casagrande was in his third season running full-time in the Late Model division at Stafford. After winning the 2012 Limited Late Model division championship at Stafford, Casagrande won the Late Model Rookie of the Year title in 2013. He had one victory that season in the Late Model division and finished fifth in the points.

He started the Granite State Pro Stock Series season opener this year at Thompson Speedway on April 12, finishing ninth. The team missed the second event of the season on April 24 at Claremont (N.H.) Speedway. The division has 10 events remaining this year, including their season finale at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl on Oct 24. The division’s next event is May 24 at Monadnock Speedway in Winchester, N.H.

Casagrande made Granite State Pro Stock Series starts last year at Hudson (N.H.) Speedway and at Monadnock in a ride he shared with longtime local Pro Stock driver Jeff Connors of Ellington.

Kyle Casagrande was also suspended one week by Stafford for involvement in the post-race issues in the pits. Cory Casagrande said the team is unsure whether or not Kyle Casagrande will return to the division.

Cory Casagrande said not to count him out from returning to competition at Stafford this year, but he said it won’t be in a Late Model. It might be in an open wheel ride though.

“I think if we’re back at Stafford at all it will probably be in an SK Light [Modified], just to try it out,” Cory Casagrande said. “It’s a lot easier to do that when you’re not running for points. A little less stressful. It’s definitely something I want to try, definitely something I am going to try. It’s just a matter of when. We’re setting our focus on the Monadnock race in the Pro Stock first and then whatever happens after that happens. The Pro Stock will be, first and foremost our most important car now.”

The Casagrande family race team works hard and spends wisely. Both young drivers are dedicated towards making themselves better, with brotherly ‘love’ and instincts driving each to their own developments on and off track …I think this is a good thing for Cory and wish both the best. I know they’ll do great.

i thought that was a excellant race fri night . if you spun out or got spun out you probably dont think so . and i dont blame you . mike bennett never gave up and won the race . very exciting . i didnt think he could do it . getting by adam gray with a lap to go is not easy .

Don’t get us wrong STAFFORD is a great place but due to the amount of damage to the one and having the prostock ready to go in garAge we decided to try it. Cory already has a ride offered to him in another division and will probably be back in something

This is to bad this division is not that great this year with these guys leaving, and J J Hill gone and others whos next?… They need to run the same style late models as Waterford and Thompson it may help the count because the late models at all three tracks a hurting bad with counts and race quality..

Maybe Casagrande should learn how to not get into wrecks every week. There’s a reason Josh has won so many races and the champoinships he has.. He’s not a dirty racer….he races clean. And he didn’t fight with anyone in the pits……

Its not like he’s never racing again. He’s moving on to a series that needs a full-time driver and entry a lot more than Stafford does. That’s good for the sport. Stafford doesn’t care about anything but modifieds and it’s been proven year after year as car counts in the full-fender divisions have slipped 2-3 cars a year, while SK and SK Light fields have kept on growing to the point where guys are sent home some weeks.

Are there any tracks around here that draw 20 plus late models on a weekly basis? Stafford’s late models aren’t half bad IMO. Seekonk and Beech Ridge draw healthy Pro Stock counts. I never really got the need for the GSPSS but I guess they gained at least one more car for the coming events.